Pittsfield prepares for its 40th Egg Festival

Four World War II-era airplanes fly over the Bangor International Airport honoring the last reunion of World War II's 5th Armored DIvision on June 17, 2012. The aircraft participating in the flyover were from left: P-51 Mustang, F-4 Corsair, B-25 Mitchell and a P-40. The aircraft belong to the Texas-based Flying Legends Museum. Buy Photo

PITTSFIELD, Maine — The 40th annual Egg Festival, a five-day event celebrating the state’s egg industry, is set to begin in two weeks, and Town Manager Kathryn Ruth said she thinks it will be the biggest one yet.

The Egg Festival starts Tuesday, July 17, and runs through Saturday, July 21.

“We usually have a little bit over 10,000 vehicles here and probably 35,000 people,” said Ruth. “Because this is the 40th anniversary and [there is a] flyover, we will certainly surpass those numbers.”

The Great Central Maine Everything that Flies Fly In at Pittsfield Municipal Airport will be Saturday, July 21, in conjunction with the Egg Festival. Events will be held from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. The Texas Flying Legends Museum will have five WWII fighters and a B-25 bomber.

“It is the largest community and economic development festival in the area,” said Ruth. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for all the citizens and their relatives to come and visit people at this time of year. It’s a great opportunity for vendors and businesses here, too.”

Five days of entertainment will begin at 10 a.m. July 17 with an art show at Pittsfield Public Library. The Pittsfield Historical Society will be open to visitors from 1-2 p.m. The art show and historical society will be open through July 20 at the same times. A sidewalk art contest will be held at 3 p.m., with a reception at 4 p.m., at the United Insurance and Lehr Agency parking lot. A street dance will be held 7-10 p.m. in the municipal parking lot.

The Egglympics will begin at 10 a.m. July 18, at Hathorn Park. Two concerts are scheduled for the evening at Hathorn Park. Riff Johnson will play from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. and the Bill Thibodeau Band will play from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.

The third day starts with window painting on Main Street at 10 a.m.. An open house of the Pittsfield Community Theater begins at 3:30 p.m., followed by a marketplace tent at 4 p.m. in Manson Park. The Kiwanis Kiddie Parade begins at 6 p.m. on Main Street, and leads into Manson Park where the Dexter Community Band will perform. At 6:30 p.m., the Kiwanis Karnival opens with rides and games. The Wildwoods Band will perform from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. in the park.

A quiche and cheesecake contest begins at 10:30 a.m. on July 20, at the Elk’s Lodge on Middle Street. Judging starts at 11 a.m. with a luncheon at noon. The marketplace tent will be open from 4 to 8 p.m. in Manson Park. The Shrine Band and Friends will perform from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the park, and the Kiwanis Karnival continues at 6:30 p.m. The Bak Rak will perform from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. in the park.

Saturday, July 21, starts with breakfast in Manson Park and ends with fireworks at 9:30 p.m.

Aircraft and the Texas Flying Legends will begin arriving at 6 a.m. Other activities at the airport, including remote demonstrations, pancake breakfast, scenic airplane rides, J.D. Davis book signing and sale, will run until 5 p.m.

The Famous Big Parade starts at 9:15 a.m. at the Industrial Park and will travel down Somerset Avenue, onto Main Street to Manson Park. The Sebasticook Valley Community Band will play from noon to 1 p.m. A chicken and steak barbecue will be held at 12:30 p.m., and Cowboy Angels will perform from 1 to 3 p.m. A balloon popping race, sack race and costume contest will take place in the children’s area tent starting at 2 p.m. Boom Bang Twang, The Resistance, Sound and Vice and the Blast Addicts will all perform beginning at 4 p.m. in the entertainment tent.

“In January and February, we’ll start getting calls from people from different countries [asking about the festival] who come to visit everyone here,” said Ruth.

Ruth was quick to praise the Egg Festival Committee and the Greater Pittsfield Area Kiwanis for their work on the festival.